Better Business Bureau office in Chicopee to close, consolidate operations in Worcester

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepublicanRamon V. Frias, who, at the time was president of the Better Business Bureau of Central New England Inc., looked on in 2007 as Lois M. Puopolo, vice president of operations, spoke at the opening of the organization's new offices in Chicopee.

CHICOPEE - The Better Business Bureau of Central New England plans to close its regional office here and consolidate operations in Worcester at the end of May, a move that's upsetting some longtime boosters of the organization.

Alfred H. Colonna Jr., of Springfield, a member of the bureau's advisory board for Western Massachusetts, said the four Better Business Bureau employees who work in Chicopee are the only ones who handle consumer complaints from the entire Central New England region.

They are to be offered jobs in Worcester, but fears are that these complaint specialists will leave the organization rather than commute, Colonna said.

The Better Business Bureau is a national organization of local, independent, chapters. The bureau does conflict resolution for consumers and companies, maintains files on businesses and educates consumers.

"You will have inexperienced people handling consumer complaints," he said. "That's where all the institutional knowledge was held. That decision was made to keep the western office open when the two bureaus merged."

The region includes all of Massachusetts west of Interstate 495 and a portion of northern Connecticut. The four employees in Worcester sign up businesses as members, sell advertising and do administrative tasks.

Worcester and Springfield had separate Better Business Bureaus until they merged in 1999. Since then, the office has moved from Bridge Street in downtown Springfield to West Springfield and, about two years ago, to Center Street in Chicopee. There has been a Better Business Bureau presence in Greater Springfield since at least the 1940s, Colonna said.

"It's ill conceived," said Stephan C. Chase, president and chief executive of Fuel Services in Westfield and a member of the Better Business Bureau's board of directors, a panel that has more influence than the advisory group. "The reasons for it are unclear. As a board member I'm still trying to fight it."

Chase said he is the only person on the organization's 14-member board from Western Massachusetts. The board meets again Wednesday in Worcester.

Nancy B. Cahalen, president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau of Central New England, said the organization spent more last year than it took in, although she declined to give financial information.

A federal tax form for the Better Business Bureau of Central New England from 2006, the most recent year available, lists $587,793 in revenue and $579,909 in expenses.

Cahalen said the bureau will not only save the cost of rent in Chicopee, but the eight-employee organization will also be easier to run under one roof. No one has announced plans to leave, she said.

Cahalen, who took her job in August, said the Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit funded by member businesses. Each chapter is independent.

"We get almost no foot traffic at any of our offices," Cahalen said.

The bureau gets 2,400 calls each month from consumers, a number that has remained steady in recent years. But the bureau's Web page is getting more hits, 18,000 visits in March compared to 8,800 in March, 2008.

"That shows me that people are coming to us to research before they make a move," Cahalen said. "We are really a repository of information."

Cahalen said she'll continue doing public speaking and outreach work in the Springfield area if the relocation plan is implemented.

BBB resourcesTo Contact the Better Business Bureau: The Better Business Bureau Web site is www.BBB.org. People are asked to put in their zip code to get directed to the chapter serving their area. The phone number is 1-866-566-9222. The e-mail is info@cne.bbb.org.